Going into Afterlife University, I knew little about the synopsis or that it was loosely inspired by real near death experiences. The story throws you right in, which can be a bit confusing at first, but as you continue reading, the connections between characters begin to reveal themselves in an interesting way. For such a quick read, the story manages to deliver its message about forgiveness and letting go, which resonated with me.

I particularly liked how the characters were all interwoven and how the story ultimately came full circle. That said, there were moments where I found myself thinking, “What am I reading?!” - likely due to the fast pace, which didn’t leave much room for character or plot development. There were two things however, that let it down for me. First, the title Afterlife University - why "University"? The academic angle wasn’t really developed, leaving the choice of title somewhat confusing. Second, the tagline "Game Knot Over" feels a bit ambiguous. It seems to suggest that life is a "game," but the story doesn’t clarify this notion or explore it.

Despite these points and limited context, I appreciated the straightforward writing style, as it worked well with the minimal background provided, making it easy to follow. Overall, Afterlife University is a thought provoking, quick read that explores the themes of connection and closure in a unique way.

2.5⭐ rounded up.

The cover and description is intriguing which led me to read this novella. Honestly, it felt a little too short.

Did the story get a little confusing at the end or am I just sleep deprived? Either way, it was interesting. Not bad for a short novella.

Afterlife University is a short story about what happens after we die. We follow different people as they navigate this place.

Overall this story didn't really resonate with me. It felt very disjointed. More like a collection of anecdotes than one coherent story. It felt underdeveloped in that sense. Besides that the prose was often too heavy-handed for my taste.

What I did enjoy was that this is supposedly based on true experiences, and the overall message was one of hope. You will probably enjoy Afterlife University if you are interested in learning more about near death experiences, and don't mind a “more vibes than substance” story.

"“There is still no judgment here?”
“Only learning,” the young man replied."

This story was "inspired by true events" and follows two teens who died tragically on opposite sides of the Earth. They enter the afterlife and use telepathy to uncover what happened to them and how they are entangled. Ultimately, they discover that they can rid themselves of all the shame and guilt in the afterlife in order to heal.

Overall, this story was enjoyable to read but it definitely required a little bit of brain power to process it all. Although the synopsis states that two teens on opposite sides of the Earth die, it would have been nice if the author clarified the settings (as headers of some sort) in the beginning. It makes it easier to understand the story and get into the world. It may have also been a little easier with headers to distinguish or parse out each perspective a little better as well. This story has great potential with some added clarity. As it stands, it just feels like a weird acid trip.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Afterlife University follows four characters in the afterlife. There is a strong message of bonds, forgiveness, and friendship.
For a short story, I was impressed with how well this was crafted. In 11 pages, the characters were interwoven expertly and the story remained clear and succinct. This was my first short story delving into the topic of the afterlife, and i am now intrigued to read more from this author.
Overall I give this a 4 star rating. I recommend this for anyone that wants a short, intriguing story about what (potentially) happens after we die.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this story. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

‘’My point is a tank weighs a lot, but not nearly as much as blame and guilt.’’

Afterlife University presents a unique and thought-provoking concept that sparks curiosity. The imaginative premise and unexpected twists keep the reader intrigued. Despite some abstract elements, the story offers moments of creativity and originality that make it an engaging read, though its execution could benefit from more clarity and tighter focus.

What worked:
- The title of the story is cleverly integrated, with fun opening and closing titles that complement the tone of the story.
- The concept of intertwined individuals is intriguing and raises philosophical questions about identity and connection - on and beyond earth.
- The ending is original and comical, a refreshing twist after some chaotic chapters.

What fell flat:
- The first chapter is easy to follow, but the rest becomes too abstract and vague. A more straightforward approach to worldbuilding would have improved the reading experience.
- POV shifts are confusing due to the high number of characters (for a short story of 4000 words), making the narrative hard to follow.
- The dialogue is weak and lacks impact. Questions asked by characters become a bit repetitive.
- Too many themes are touched upon for a short story, leading to a lack of depth and focus.
- Characters are introduced haphazardly, making it difficult to connect with them.
- The concept of the afterlife feels in my opinion too anthropocentric, lacking creativity as a result.

Final take:
A unique premise with some creative ideas, but the confusing execution and shallow characters make it fall short of its potential. However, the ethical ambiguity made it worth reading this short story, at least for me personally.

I am really thankful for the opportunity to read this short story. It was short, I finished before knowing what I was reading, though.
I think there were too many characters for such a short thing, so it was difficult to really care about them.
Nevertheless, at the end, I surprisingly found myself wanting to know what would happen afterwards. It looks like a prologue to something more...

‘Inspired by true events and based on research of near death experiences (clinically dead people who have crossed over and come back to share what happened to them): Two sets of teens who died tragically on opposite sides of the Earth discover telepathy, empathy, entanglement and healing on a journey to new beginnings. This 4,000-word short story is set almost completely in the afterlife, where universal consciousness connects us all’


Honestly, I have no idea what I just read. But thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the complimentary copy.

this was a sweet story about finding peace in the afterlife. it followed a few people facing confusion and finding peace

I kind of see what the author wanted to do with this short story but the quality of the writing was way too low to make it a good story.

Some reviews suggest that the story could benefit from being a longer story, but I think it would actually be better as a flash fiction with fewer characters. It would have allowed the writer to (maybe) struggle less with the transitions between events, thoughts, and spacial dimensions.

The dialogues, the transitions, and the world building are the weakest points of the story. The high level concept is what's slightly better.

*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC! I originally chose not to give feedback because the writing was so difficult to read but I finally gave it one last try and….I could at least understand what the author was trying to do with the story. I did like that it was easy to tell the different characters apart. I feel it was a bit too rushed and cause the story to lose the potential I expected it to have.

This is a short, fast-paced fictional story that gives a different take into the next world. The characters are unique, and each one has their own specific voice. Their memories come into play and affect how they interact with each other. Details are given that fill out the story and enrich the setting.

Thank you for netgalley, the publishers, and the author for the ARC I read.

This being a short story and all, you really just dive right in to the story. So it can be a little like a puzzle, reading it and figuring out what is going on and what the author is trying to do. It was beautifully written and the ideas of the afterlife were really interesting to explore. An enjoyable read that makes me curious about this author’s longer works.

I was very surprised when this finished so quickly. The premise was sound and it had a lot of potential for a decent full length book. It left me wanting more though. Just as the characters were becoming people to me it ended and didn't go anywhere.

As I've already said I would be very interested in reading this if it were a full length novel but I felt it just didn't work as a short story.

I didn't realize going into it that it was such a short one. Interesting concept and I didn't struggle to read it because it was so fast paced but I think it could have been longer to explain more what was going on. Too many off the wall ideas left unexplained to where it became confusing.

A strange, complicated short story. I think it tried to do too much and ended up being confusing because of how much it jumped around.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.**

This was an intriguing little short story. The p.o.v.s were neatly woven together, and the imagery was vivid. I can't wait to read more from Jack Chaucer!

out of 5 stars, i give this short story 4! it was interesting and uplifting, i could see the potential of it being a full blown story, i think ill be keeping an eye out for more by this author. Thank you for letting me read this!

The premise of a universal consciousness in the afterlife was very interesting, but the execution felt a bit disjointed. The reader is pulled from perspective to perspective without ever feeling satisfied. I felt quite uncomfortable by the pressure the Ukrainian character was under to feel more empathic. However, I do think the ideas and questions posed by this story were thought provoking.

As humans I think the afterlife is something we are naturally curious about, so I was interested in this topic and liked where it was going. I just wanted more. I wanted a little more information in the transitions. In a short read I felt the author was able to give just enough background on the characters based on little clues, like what they were doing when they died, who they were with, etc. I could see this all playing out in my mind as I read and I think it would be a great story to elaborate on. Enjoyable short story overall.